Mining machine



L. A. MAXSON lMINING MACHINE Dec. 3l, 1929.

okriginal'iled Feb. 11,' 1924 f77/ven r.'

N E s@ Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNlifEl STATES ,PATENT orifice LOUIS A.l'fIAXSON, OF ULAREIVONT, NEW' HAMPSE IRE, ASSIGNOR- TO SULLIVAN MA-`CHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF IVIASSACHSETTS MINING MACHINEApplication led February 11, 1824, Serial My invention relates to miningmachines, and more particularly to mining machines of the so-ealled roomand pillar type.

\ An object of my invention is to provide an improved mining machine.Jrnother object of my invention is to provide an improved mining machinewhich will be very compact and low and readily controlled. Other objectsand advantages of my invention will hereinafter more fully appear'.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown for purposes of illust-rationone form and a modiiication which my invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view with parts broken away of one illustrativeembodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in centralvertical longitudinal section, the view being taken substantially online 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the feedingmechanism.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view showing a modification in theconstruction.

Referring to the drawing and noting first Figs. 1 to 3, it will beobserved that the illustrative embodiment of my i vention comprises amining machine having a bottom plate 1 upon which it is slidable duringcutting. This bottom plate at the front end thereof supports a motorcasing 2, while to the rear of the motor easing is a gear casing 3.Projecting from the front end of the motor casing is a cutter bar which,except for the fact that at its foremost end it has a semicircularportion, might be roughly sai-d to be triangular in shape, this harbeing held in any suitable manner rigidly with respect to the body ofthe mining machine. Herein it will be observed that the guideways 4 forthe cutter chain 5 are extended along theside of the motor casing andthese extend back for the full length of this casing and to a point tothe rear of the front end of the gear casing 3. It will be noted thatthe cutter chain 5. is guided, adjacent the junction of the cutter barwith the motor casing, by rollers projecting through the bottom of theNo. 692,176. Renewed November 16, 1927'. p

guideways 4, these rollers being 4designated. 6. Corresponding rollersare arranged to the rear end of the rear extremities of the guideways 4,these latter rollers being designated 7, while still further lto therear and midway between the rollers 7 there is arranged a cutter chaindriving sprocket 8, the plane of the spree-liet being the same as theplane of the chain. It will be obvious that,

f if desired, sprockets could be substituted for the rollers 7, werethis desired. Within the motor housing 2 'there is a motor 10 having anarmature shaft 11 which carries a spur pinion 12. This meshes with aslightly larger spur gear 13 secured to a horizontal shaft 14 journaledin bearings 15 and 16 carried upon the bottom plate 1. Between thebearings 15 and 16 the shaft 14 carries a worm 17 whose function will belater described. Gn the rear end of the shaft 14 is a spur pinion 18which meshes with a considerably larger spur gear 19 secured to a shaft20 journaled in bearings 21 upon a partition wall 22 forming a. part ofthe gear casing. The shaft 2O carries a bevel pinion which drives abevel gear 24 which is mounted upon a shaft 25. Connected innon-rotative relation to the gear 24 is a clutch sleeve 26 which isvertically reciprocable by a shipper 27 which is carried by a horizontalshaft 28 journaled as at 29 in a bearing carried by the portion 22 ofthe housing and extending through a bearing 30 in the rear wall of thegear casing. A handle 31 operates to oscillate the shaft 28 and this isprovided with latch means of any suitable type cooperating with a bar 32to hold the handle 31 in positions for clutching and disengagement ofthe clutch. The clutch sleeve 26 is provided with clutch teeth 33adapted to engage with teeth 34 upon a sleeve 35 which is secured indriving relation to the sprocket 8. It will accordingly be apparent thatthe armature shaft 11 of the motor 10, through the pinion 12, gear 18,shaft 14, pinion 18, gear 19. bevel pinion 23, bevel gear 24 and theclutch mechanism described, drives the cutter chain driving sprocket 8.

Now returning to the worm 17, it will be noted that this drives a wormwheel 40 which is j ournaled upon the abutting ends of a pair of shafts41 and 42 which together extend completely across the gear casing` andis likewise journaled in bearings 48 atits opposite sides. Rigidlyconnected to the gear, at the opposite sides thereof, are two clutchmembers and 46 which are adapted to eooperate with clutch teeth 4T and48 formed on the adjacent sides ot transversely slidable clutch members49 and 50 which are respectively splined to the shafts 41 and 42. Itwill be observed that, outside of the clutch meminers 49 and 50, thereare arranged stationary bearings 51 and 52 which not only serve asbearings but also as inountings for stationary clutch members 53 andrespectively. The clutch members 49 and 50 have te th 58 and 54 adaptedto cooperate with these s'ationary clutch members. lt will further benoted that journaled upon bushings surroundin` the shafts 41 and 42 arebrake drum members and 5G which are also carriers for gears 57, thelatter being rotatably mounted upon studs 58 projecting from the members55 and 50 (see Fie: ln con'nnon vertical longitudinally extending planeswith the gears 57 are driving,T pinions 59 respectively secured to the fha'lts 4l and 42, and enclosing the pinions 5T and 59 are largerinternal gears G0 and Gl, the gear 00 cooperating` with the pinions 5i'and 59 which form a part ot the driving mechanism associated with theshat't 41. rllhese internal gears 60 and 01 carry tubular shafts 62 and625 respectively which at their outer ends carry pinions 6l and G5respectively, and the latter are arranged in orivingl relation withinternal gears 06 and GT formed herein integral with the interiorperipheries oit rope windingdrums 71 and 7 2. rCooperating` with thebrake drum members and 56 are brake bands T33 and 74 held againstrotation by any suitable means and having); mechanismv `generallydesignated 75, and which may be et any suitable torni, but which isherein shown as incuding; oppositely threaded portions upon rods 7Gcooperating with nuts 77 and 78 secured to the opposite extremities otthe brake band, the rods`76 being` provided with handles T9 and 80, atthe rear end ot the machine Yi'or permitting their operation. For thepurpose ot shitting; the clutch members 49 and 50 there are journaledupon suitable projections 81 and 82 clutc` shipper members 83 and 84 towhose forwardly projecting' arms there is pivotally connected a link 85,which link is adapted to be reciprocated in opposite directions by abell crank lever 86 whose oscillation is secured by a rod 87 extendingout through the rear end of the machine and pro vided with a handle 88,there beine; provided any suitable means et any desired type forholding` this rod in its several positions of adjustment. It will beobserved that a ina` chine ot the type illustrated may cut in oppositedirections it this be desired. Herein direction. The cutter chain is2(guarded by bot-like covers where it passes alongv the and runs withinrear casing hous` side et the motor housing spaces inovided within theing.

From the it'oregroing description the mode ot operation of the mechanismwill be readily apparent. The operation ot the cutter chain drivingsprocket has already been described and need not be repeated. W hencutting from right to lett, it will be observed that the worin 1i'rotates clockwise when viewed ilrom the rear, causing a counterclockwiserotation ol the worin wheel 40 in Fig. 2. AThis causes, when the clutch50 thrown to cans engagement of the teeth i6 and 48, counterclockwiserotation ot the shaft 42 and a cori-espending` counterclock'wiserotation ot the pinion 59 which is secured thereon. lVhen the brake band74 is applied, it will be evident that the corresponding rear 5T will beheld against bodily motion and will simply drive the gear G1 in aclockwise direction and this will result in driving' ot' thecorrespoiidingv pinion ina clockwise direction and so rotation ot thedrum 72 in a. clockwise direction with restdtant winding' in of theleading cable 91. lt will be noted that by virtue of the constructionsho-wn, when the clutch teeth 4G and 48 are engaged, the clutch teeth 58and 53 are engaged and so the shaft 41 is held positively againstrotation. As a result, ii the brake band 73 is held tight, t-he drum 71will be incapable ot rotation, but by all-owing;` the drum T8 to s ip,it will be readily possible to secure any desired rate of paying out ofthe tail rope 90.

Now reterring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that a modiiied constructionhas been disclosed in which the guide rollers 7 ray be omitted and inwhich two diiving, sprockets 101 and 102 may be employed. ln this 'torniit will be noticed that a gear 108 is supported and journaled by means(not shown) for rotation relative to the near 24. The 103 meshes withgears 104 and 105 respectively operatively connected in drivinglrelation with the cutter chain drivino sprockets 102 and 101. A clutch106 is arranged with pins 107 adapted to be projected through the gear24 and into openings (not shown) in the gear 103 tor the purpose oitclutching the gear 103 to the gear 24 when driving ot the cutter chainis desired. This construction provides one less angle in the cut-terchain and a double sprocket drive therefor.

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It will be observed that in both species truck driving means driven fromthe gear 2i may be provided and such mechanism is shown at 108 in Fig.2. At 110 is shown a handle for operating a suitable motor con-I trollerand reverse mechanism which is not shown, but which may be arranged inthe space available for this purpose directly forward from this handle,though it will be evident that there are other spaces in which it miffhtbe put.`

yWhile I have in this application specifically described one form and amodification which my invention may assume in practice, it will beunderstood that this form of the same and the modification thereof areshown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may bemodified and embodied in various other forms without departing from itsspirit or che scope of the appended claims.

IVhat I clair-n as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is y l. Ina room and pillar mining machine, a cutter chain, means for guiding thesame for circulation in an orbit, and means for driving the sameincluding a motor whose projection on a horizontal plane lies entirelywithin the projection on such plane of the inner edge of the orbit ofthe cutter chain, the height of said motor substantially determining theheight of the machine.

2. In a mining machine, a. cutter chain, means for guiding the same forcirculation in an orbit, and means for driving the same including amotor whose projection on a horizontall plane lies entirely within theprojection on such plane of the inner edge of the orbit of the cutterchain and which is cut by a horizontal plane passing through the cutterchain.

3. In a mining machine, a cutter chain, means for guiding the same in anorbit, and means for driving the same including a motor whose bottomlies inside the orbit and below the top thereof.

l. In a mining machine, a cutter chain, means for guiding the same in anorbit, and means for driving the same including a motor whose bottomlies inside the orbit and substantially on the bottom of the mine.

5. In a room and pillar miningl machine, a projecting cutter bar, amotor, the height of said motor substantially determining the height ofthe machine and a cutter chain circulating around the periphery of thecutter bar and of the motor and driven by the latter.

6. In a room and pillar mining machine, a motor having a horizontal,longitudinally extending armature shaft, a shaft driven therebv parallelthereto and below and to the rear thereof, cutter chain drivingmechanism driven from the rear end of said Shaft, and

feeding mechanism for feeding said machine f upon its bottom upon themine bottom during cuttin@` including a feed 4operating member motorhaving a horizontal, longitudinally exy tending armature shaft, a shaftdriven thereby parallel thereto and below and to the rear thereof,cutter chain driving mechanism driven from feeding mechanism for feedingsaid machine upon its bottom upon the mine bottom during cuttingincluding a feed operating niember having flexible feeding meanscooperating directly therewith and a driving element driven by saidsecond mentioned shaft between the ends thereof and rotatable on an axistransverse to and above said shaft.

8. In a room and pillar miningmachine, a motor having a horizontal,longitudinally extending armature shaft, a shaft driven thereby parallelthereto and below and to the rear thereof, cutter chain drivingmechanism driven from the rear end of said shaft, and 'feeding mechanismincluding a pair of feed operating members each adapted to cooperatedirectly with flexible feeding means and disposed one at each side ofsaid machine and actuating means therefor rotating on a transverse axisabove and between the ends of said second mentioned shaft and driventhereby at a point between the ends of the latter.

9. In a mining machine, a cutter'bar,`a motor, and motor driven feedingmeans includy ing a pair of shafts adapted to be driven by said motor orheld stationary, clutch means for connecting said shafts to the motor,stationary means, said clutch means being also operative to connect saidshafts to said stationary means, brake controlled transmissionmechanisms operatively connected to said shafts, and feed operatingmembe connected to said transmission mechanisms and each adapted tocooperate directly with iiexible feeding means.

l0. In a mining` machine feeding mechanism, a motor, a pair of membersoperative on rotation in one direction to pull in and on rotation in theopposite direction to pay out flexible feeding means, flexible feedingmeans associated with said members, and means for controlling saidmembers including two alined shafts, means for connecting said shafts tosaid motor or holding them stationary, members operative on rotation torotate said first mentioned members, driving members carried by saidshafts, and power transmission elements'between said driving members andsaid second mentioned members r0- tatable 0n axes offset from the axesof said shafts. y

ll. In a mining machine feeding mechanism, a motor, a pair of membersoperative on rotation in one direction to pull in and on rothe rear endof said shaft, and

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tation in the opposite direction to pay out flexible feeding means,flexible feeding` means associated with said members, and means forcontrolling said members including a pair of shafts, means forconnecting said shafts to said motor or holding them stationary, membersoperative on rotation to rotate said first mentioned members, drivingmembers carried by said shafts, and power transmission elements betweensaid driving members and said second mentioned members, said powertransmission elements being mounted on manually controllable rotatablemembers.

12. In a mining machine feeding mechan nism, a motor, a pair of membersoperative on rotation in one direction to pull in and on rotation in theopposite direction to pay out flexible feeding means, flexible feedingmeans associated with said members, and means for controlling saidmembers including a pair of shafts, means for connecting said shafts tosaid motor or holding them stationary, members operative on rotation torotate said first mentioned members, driving members carried by saidshafts, and power transmission elements between said driving members andsaid second mentioned members, said power transmission elements beingmounted on frictionally controllable rotatable members.

18. In a mining machine, a cutter bar by which cutting devices arecarried, a ino-tor for actuating the cutting devices including a motorcasing, and means for guiding the cutting devices including meanscarried directly by the exterior of said motor casing and guiding saidchain along said casing.

14. In a mining machine, a cutter chain adapted to be circulated in anorbit, and means for actuating said cutter chain including ahorizontally disposed motor disposed within and projecting below theorbit of said chain.

15. In a mining machine, a driving motor having a motor casing adaptedto rest substantially on the mine bottom, and cutting mechanism drivenby said motor including a cutter chain arranged and guided to becirculated about said casing.

16. In a mining machine, a cutter chain adapted to be circulated in anorbit, a drivingmotor for said cutter chain disposed within andextending below the orbit of said cutter chain, and feeding means drivenby said motor including feed and takeup members and flexible feedingmeans cooperating with said members.

17. In a mining machine, a motor, the height of the machine beingsubstantially determined by the height of the motor, a cutter chainextending` longitudinally of said motor and guided directly on thecasing` thereof, and means driven by said motor for actuating saidcutter chain.

18. In a mining machine, a machine frame.

a cutter chain, means for guiding said cutter chain on each end of saidmachine frame and about which the chain is adapted to be circulated in anorbit, and means for driving said chain including a motor disposedwithin and partially below the top plane of the orbit of said chain.

19. In a mining machine, a motor having its power shaft extendinglongitudinally of the machine, a shaft driven by said motor shaftparallel to the latter and below and to the rear thereof, cuttingmechanism driving mechanism driven from the rear end of said shaft, andfeeding mechanism including a driving element driven by said shaftforward of the rear thereof and rotatable on an axis above said shaftand a feed operating member driven by said driving element and adaptedto cooperate directly with flexible feeding means.

20. In a mining machine, a machine frame, a motor carried thereby andhaving with respect to the length of the machine frame forward and rearends, a cutter bar carrying cutting devices and projecting forwardlyfrom said frame at the end of the latter near the forward end of themotor, and driving m chanisin for the cutting devices driven from therear end of said motor and comprising a `sprocket rotatable in ahorizontal plane between the vertical limits of said motor.

21. In a mining machine, a machine frame, a motor, the overall height ofthe machine being substantially determined by the height of the motor, acutter bit carrying cutter bar projecting forwardly from said frame andhaving its uppermost and lowermost surfaces lying in planes intersectingsaid motor, said motor having forward and rear ends, the latter the moreremote from the portion of said frame at which said cutter bar projects,and

'means for actuating the cutter bits including a sprocket driven by therear end of said motor.

22. In a mining machine.r a machine frame, a motor. the overall heightof the machine being substantially determined by the height of themotor, a cutter bit carrying cutter bar projecting forwardly from saidframe and having its uppermost and lowermost surfaces lying in planesintersecting saidmotor, said motor having forward and rear ends, thelatter the more remote from the portion of said frame at which saidcutter bar projects. means for actuating the cutter bits including asprocket driven by the rear end of said motor, and feeding means drivenby the rear end feeding means, and means including a common operatingelement for each of said members for selectively effecting rotation ofsaid members or resisting rotation thereof.

24. In a mining machine, a motor having its casing slidable directly onits bottom on the mine bottom, the height of Which substantiallydetermines the height of the ma* chine, cutting mechanism includingtransmission means and a cutter chain driving sprocket driven by therear end of said motor, and feeding means comprising a plurality of feedoperating members each adapted to cooperate directly with flexiblefeeding means adapted to be driven from said cutting mechanismtransmissionmeans.

25. In a mining machine, a motor having its casing slidab'le directly onits bottom on the mine bottom, the height of which substantiallydetermines the height of the machine, cutting mechanism driven therehycomprising a cutter chain sprocket driven from the rear end of saidmotor, and feeding means for the machine disposed intermediate saidmotor and said sprocket and including a plurality of feed operatingmembers each adapted to cooperate directly with flexible feeding means.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

LOUIS A. MAXSON.

